Witnessing health security work in action, and meeting government and civil society partners
The UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), TDDA’s funder, recently joined our leadership team and experts on the ground in Cameroon to see the important health security work that is being done there. Designed to help reinforce relationships with our key partners and government counterparts, the trip (10-13 May 2022) was attended by FCDO’s Elizabeth Marchant, Global Health Adviser, and Programme Manager Tamara Silver.
“Sustainability is central in enduring health security”, explains TDDA Team Leader Richard Brough, also on the trip. “We can only make a lasting difference to people’s lives if we build support on the ground so that our work may be carried forward and financed for the long term. It’s why we value political and stakeholder engagement across all five of our host countries, including this visit to Cameroon.”
One highlight of the visit was a field trip to see community outreach campaigns being carried out in Yaoundé and Mfou, where TDDA was providing direct technical and financial assistance to three civil society organizations (CSOs) working to raise local awareness of health risks and increase demand for COVID-19 vaccination.
Meetings with key stakeholders during the FCDO visit included:
World Health Organization (WHO) Cameroon office: With WHO, we have co-financed activities such as the simulation exercise at Douala Airport in Dec 2021, which helped Cameroon to strengthen health surveillance at its borders ahead of hosting the Africa Cup of Nations. We have also been working together on the relaunch of a platform to connect partners involved in health security.
National Observatory of Public Health (NOPH): TDDA supports NOPH activities that help strengthen adherence to International Health Regulations (IHR) in Cameroon.
National One Health Platform: We work closely with this important body, responsible for coordinating strategies and actions across the human, animal and environmental health sectors.
Disease Control Department: Our partnership with this department focuses on strengthening human health surveillance system and response capacity. Read more about our work on surveillance in Cameroon here.
Department of Veterinary Services: Similarly, TDDA supports their activities, strengthening the animal health surveillance system and response capacity, so as to reduce the threat from diseases that can be passed from animals to humans.
Ministry of the Environment: In the fourth year of our programme, we will be supporting them to develop standard operating procedures for waste management, given the potential impacts on people’s health.
Network of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Cameroon: In 2021, TDDA helped to establish this network of community groups working in health, after they participated in our 2021 CSO capacity-building workshops.
Dr. Sara Eyangoh, Scientific Director of Centre Pasteur Cameroon (CPC), and other CPC colleagues, also took part in the FCDO visit. TDDA’s work in Cameroon is delivered in partnership with CPC, the Ministry of Public Health and the Fondation Mérieux USA.
